My Gp2x Getting Very Picky With Batteries

[christo930]

My GP2X is starting to get very picky with batteries. If I let the batteries go a week or so without being recharged it won't work right and this is across several pairs of batteries. I noticed that where the battery terminals touch the battery connectors, the connectors have turned a slightly dark color, like it looks like there may be lead or something to that effect. I cleaned the battery connector but these dark spots remain. They are not real dark, just slightly darker than the surrounding area. I noticed that the red low battery light will come on when launching the desktop and when launching games/apps, but then it goes back off. Is there a way to make the contacts better? I thought about ordering a conductive pen and filling in the battery connectors with the conductive ink (usually some amount of silver and tin). Is this a common problem? Am I on the right track or is there possibly another cause? I have a set of lithium throw away batteries and they work find, but of course it's too expensive to continue using them. I thought that maybe the higher voltage of new lithium batteries were making up for a bad connection. What is really weird is that I charged the batteries and took them out of the charger and ran the software for checking the battery life (the one with the fire screen) and the batteries last almost exactly to the minute of when they were new and like I said it's 2 different sets of batteries that are different ages. I do have new ones that are still sealed in the package but I don't want to open them if it's not necessary. Any suggestions?

Chris

 

[Pickle]

Any suggestions?

Same problem here. Bought some new Energiers and they still wouldnt work. Im down to a couple other 2500 mah batteries that still seem to hold out. If I dont have those charged I use a dc adapter. Pandora/Wiz cant come soon enough.

 

[slaanesh]

If it's any consolation, same here. With about 1/3 of my batteries, the GP2X turns on but then gives me the rainbow screen almost immediately. Sometimes I resort to using my AC/DC adapter and it's all good with that - but it's hardly as portable.
I find the batteries which are most reliable are my newest 2500mAh Energizers. All my batteries are at least 6 months old, the oldest (1850mAh rating) probably 4-5 years old with probably 50-70 cycles?). Thing is all my other batteries will work with all my other AA battery devices - from Wii controllers to GP32.

 

[carlgeorge]

I have had the same problem.

I thought it was my batteries, but they've hardly been used; also, they're Ansmann, so decent quality.

Glad and sad to hear that the GP2X is the problem. Mine is a "first edition."

 

[Alex.]

I thought I had the same problem, but I popped in a pair of new Duracell rechargeables (2000mAh, the new kind that come pre-charged and keep their charge for one year), and they practically breathed new life into it. I can pick it up after many days of non use and still play for hours.

Had the GP2X since mid-2006, so maybe its hour of doom simply didn't arrive yet.

 

[nubie]

You might want to run it off of 3 AA batteries to take down the stress on the batteries and amperage flowing through those connectors.

There is a thread of mine where I tested 3 AA batteries, but here is the photo album:

Doesn't hurt it at all, and you can put it back any time.


Plus it lasts 50% longer and the batteries don't get hot

 

[senquack]

I don't think the contacts are the issue. Just use a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol on them. Maybe some scotch-brite at the most. When I first had this problem, I cleaned mine and immediately the gp2x turned on again without the rainbow screen, but shortly after it went back to the same old problems.

When I first had the problem, I was using Maha 2700mah batteries and all 8 of them failed around the same time. They all had maybe 80-100 cycles on them and were charged only with a Maha charger.

Then, I got four Annsman 2750mah batteries and the GP2X instantly started working again like it always had. Now that they've been through 80-100 cycles last night a set of them started the same problem again.

So, I think it's either that the GP2X is very hard on batteries or my Maha charger is. No idea which one yet, though. I used the gentle charge cycle exclusively on the new batteries, so it wasn't that it was charging too fast.

 

[DaveC]

NiMH batteries don't have a great shelf life. They can go bad just sitting not even being used.

The Gp2X is a power sucker so if the internal resistance in a battery starts to rise they won't work for long. Other devices like the GP32 or Wii controller don't have the need for that high discharge rate so the batteries will still work on those. The GP2X needs fresh new batteries of good quality. I had sets of new supposed 2500 MaH Duracell rechargeables only last 15 minutes after a full charge.

Also if the contacts have oxidised that creates even more resistance and voltage drop.

 

[slaanesh]

You might want to run it off of 3 AA batteries to take down the stress on the batteries and amperage flowing through those connectors.

It's a pity that the GP2X wasn't made like this in the first place. There's enough room that a larger "battery bulge" at the back of the unit could have housed 3x AA easily.
If there was an aesthetically pleasing mod. ie replacement back cover, i'd totally be up for this!

Otherwise it looks like it's time for yet another set of GP2X batteries.

 

[torpor]

There is a problem with the GP2X power-regulation/-control circuitry that eventually 'burns out' and you get a GP2X that can't maintain a constant power drain on the batteries. Since the rest of the GP2X is already very sensitive about its power requirements, when the power regulator chip goes south, the GP2X starts misbehaving.

I have *THREE* GP2X's which have this problem, and they are all unusable until I replace the chips in all of them. Fortunately I have these chips - I discovered this problem pretty early on in the GP2X product lifecycle, but I haven't had the motivation to do the work to change the parts .. the SMD stress is not something I need right now, especially since I've got other devices to code for. The result is I haven't turned any of these three GP2X's on in about a year .. darn. I should do something about that.

If I get the chance I'll try to pull out the part # and details for future reference .. but I seem to recall there being a wiki page on this issue somewhere ..

 

[slaanesh]

Seems like there are just too many cases of this to be coincidence. I'd rather pay 10% more and get better components on my handheld. This certainly one advantage the PSP and NDS have going for it - higher quality bits.

 

[Kojote]

Well I have the same battery problem, described here severall times. This is also why my GP2x is catching dust since two years... I tried more than five different battery brands, non of them had any result.

 

[Gruntfuggly]

Your batteries won't last very long without a decent charger either. If you are using the cheapo charger which came with the batteries, then chances are they will be getting worse everytime you charge them...

 

[Tag5]

Your batteries won't last very long without a decent charger either. If you are using the cheapo charger which came with the batteries, then chances are they will be getting worse everytime you charge them...

I agree, best try sticking with a good brand like Uniross, Energizer or Duracell Rechargable batteries and charging unit.

 

[christo930]

I thought I had the same problem, but I popped in a pair of new Duracell rechargeables (2000mAh, the new kind that come pre-charged and keep their charge for one year), and they practically breathed new life into it. I can pick it up after many days of non use and still play for hours.

Had the GP2X since mid-2006, so maybe its hour of doom simply didn't arrive yet.

I got mine in the summer of 08, so I really don't know why it's doing this. THe really weird part is, is if I use the batteries the same day I charge them, they work fine. It's only after a week or so of sitting in my backpack that they don't work right. Maybe I'll try the new pre-charged long shelf life batteries like the ones you have.

(edit) Now that I think about it, it may have been summer of 2007, I'll have to check my receipt. THey say memory is the first thing to go
Chris

 

[Manjuu]

I got mine in the summer of 08, so I really don't know why it's doing this. THe really weird part is, is if I use the batteries the same day I charge them, they work fine. It's only after a week or so of sitting in my backpack that they don't work right. Maybe I'll try the new pre-charged long shelf life batteries like the ones you have.

(edit) Now that I think about it, it may have been summer of 2007, I'll have to check my receipt. THey say memory is the first thing to go
Chris

I'm not experiencing this problem, but since I only got my F-200 back in November of 2007, I guess it hasn't been that long yet. All that I have been using are those pre-charged batteries, mine are Sanyo Eneloop, and they have been good to me. The battery life is on the short side though, since they are only 2,000mAh, but even after weeks of not using them, they still provide solid battery life. Although, I do notice that they last a bit shorter now than when they were still new; instead of almost 3 hours, now they are just over 2 hours.

 

[coldfish]

Just to clarify, there are now 2 common types of NiMH AA cell technology on the market:

-The older, higher capacity ~2500mAh ones that lose power rapidly after charge, ~20% per day iirc? depending on temperature, which means their pretty much dead in a week or so if kept in a warm place.

-The new "precharged" ones that hold their charge much longer, these generally have lower capacity ~2000mAh.

I'm running my GP2X on the older type Duracell 2650mAh, if I leave them in for a few days after charging I'm lucky to get an hour, maybe two running time out of them. I have a set of the newer "Uniross Hybrio" 2100mAh, and while they have a lower maximum capacity and running time, they seem to hold their charge much longer.

Now its just a matter of waiting for the best of both worlds; 3000mAh+ "precharged" cells...

...or AA sized fuelcells.

 

[pubzombie]

Yep I get the same issues now with most of my cells. new cells work fine for a dozen or so cycles then bite the dust. suppose its a case of waiting for the Pandora. just hope its better made than GP2X because sometimes I wonder why I bothered.

 

[bacteria]

I tried various NiMH cells and they all suck; they seem to lose charge quickly, and even worse, after several recharges seem to lose the ability to recharge as well. I have tried three rechargers with the same results. I don't like NiMH cells, Li-ions are so much better, although of course they won't fit as standard in the GP2x.

 

[euro48k]

last year ..same discussion ..now it seems torpor has the solution
would you please report back so we all could give another try to dusted gp2x?

brand new 2500NiMh akkus and same 15-20 minutes GP2x life..
very annoying

--

Power Consumption

The GP2X is currently chewing through batteries; even high-end NiMH batteries are only lasting 2-4 hours (with Ansmann 2600 mAh Photo-Accus 4 h 54 min has been confirmed). Currently there are two known issues contributing to this problem: The GP2X is powering both processor cores at full power at all times, and the TV-out chip is being powered even when not in use. When playing movies or music the device will not need both processor cores nor will it need to run one core at full speed. In subsequent firmware releases this will be addressed and battery life is expected to improve dramatically. Obviously when TV-Out is not in use the chips responsible for it do not need to be powered. It is estimated that this chip draws around ~80 milliamps so turning it off when it is not in use will further improve battery life.

Conclusion: Fixable in firmware

http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/Frrobl%C3%A8me...cernant_la_GP2X

what firmware?
i'm using open2x now ..